#AfricaIsNotACountry…
First announced at MIPCOM 2013 (the international TV and entertainment market held in Cannes once every year; where content is introduced for co-producing, buying, selling, financing and distributing) by Ben Pyne, president of global distribution at Disney, an "African version" (as they are calling it) of "Desperate Housewives" (the once comedy/drama series created by Marc Cherry, and broadcast on ABC from 2004 until 2012) is now set for an April 30 premiere – just 2 days from now – in several countries within the continent where EbonyLife TV (no affiliation with Ebony magazine) reaches – a multi-platform broadcaster, and subsidiary of Media and Entertainment City Africa (MEC Africa) in Cross River State, Nigeria, run by Mo Abudu (aka Africa’s Oprah Winfrey, as she’s come to be known).
No word on whether those outside of the continent will have access to the series; but when I know more, so will you – those who are interested in checking it out.
"Desperate Housewives" the "African version" will feature a pan-African cast, and will be set in Lagos, Nigeria, where it’s apparently been be shot, and its premiere date, as I’ve learned, is now set for April 30, when it will air in 44 countries within the continent.
“We are going to make it relevant, number one, by using local talent — talent that our viewers will know and love; two, we are going to work with local stylists, local fashion designers, local interior designers," said Mo Abudu, CEO and executive chairman in a statement almost 2 years ago. “We are going to give the stories an African flavor. We will localize it, because there’s nothing that the West has that Africa doesn’t have: we love, we fight, we kiss, we make up. We like all the good things in life. There’s good and there’s evil globally. So all those human interests, those things that appeal to you, believe me, appeal to us also.”
The original ABC TV series followed the dramatic lives of a group of women, over a 13-year period, and 8 seasons, as seen through the eyes of a dead neighbor who committed suicide in the very first episode.
The series has seen remakes in Turkey, Colombia, and Brazil, since its debut, and now heads to Nigeria.
A trailer for the upcoming scripted series follows below; but first, check out the just-released 10-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, which introduces audiences to the entire cast, each breaking down their individual characters further. It also includes some footage from the upcoming series, as well as some crew contributions.
